This invention relates generally to harvesters and more particularly to those having condition responsive operation.
When a metal object enters the throat area of a forage harvesting machine equipped with a metal detector, the drive to the feed rolls must be stopped rapidly. In connection with stopping the feed rolls, the feed roll drive mechanism must somehow be shifted from its forward running position to neutral, which then allows a header drive and associated slip clutch drive to the feed rolls to stop. If the drive is not stopped, a slip clutch in the drive mechanism would slip excessively and the header would jam with material.
An electric motor has been coupled with a gear train and a limit switch for stopping the feed roll drive mechanism. This arrangement is limited in that it causes a delay of two or three seconds which is sufficient to permit the aforementioned slippage and resultant jamming.
The foregoing illustrates limitations of the known prior art. Thus, it is apparent that it would be advantageous to provide an alternative directed to overcoming one or more of the limitations as set forth above.